You may not know this about me, but for more than a decade, I traveled to Jamaica every single year. Though I met a lot of men there from both Jamaica and elsewhere, I did NOT go chasing after some dude. I went because I enjoyed learning about the culture and food, seeing the sights, meeting people, and having a great time dancing to steel drums on the beaches, attending concerts, and hanging out at the resorts. The fact that the weather was perfect and I could wear my cute sundresses and short sets made it even better.

Though I have great memories and have since traveled to many other locations, there are five things I really miss eating in Jamaica: roasted breadfruit, jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, rice and peas, and saltfish fritters. However, once I decided I was switching my eating to exclude animal products, most of the food I enjoyed in Jamaica went out the window.

Fast forward the calendar to September 2017. A car pulled up next to me at a red light, and this dread-headed dude was blasting reggae and singing along in his patois. Hearing him made me smile. It also made me think of the food I missed and I really, REALLY wanted to taste those flavors again.

So, being the creative and determined individual that I am, I decided to try to create a veganized, spicy and flavorful (even if non-traditional), version of my top two favorites – rice and peas, and vegan jerk style chicken or chickun or chick’n or whatever you want to call chicken style seitan.

Here’s a close up. (That’s my peas and rice in the background).

Notice this rich brown and the slightly charred spots where the jerk seasoning has carmelized – a noted speciality of this Jamaican taste treat now done vegan, and with no added fat cooked in my air fryer.

First, you have to make the vegan chicken style seitan. For this recipe I opted to simmer the seitin to maximize moisture and tenderness before crisping in the air fryer.

Recreating the spicy deliciousness of Jamaican jerk chicken, without sacrificing a chicken. This recipe delivers the flavor, texture and heat very close to the original. Start with the seitan, then add your jerk seasoning.

Put water in 4 quart pot and add seasoning paste. Set heat to low while you prepare the seitan.

Place all your wet ingredients in a large measuring cup or small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, put all the dry ingredients and stir to mix well together. Push to the side so there is a well in the center.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the well while you stir smoothly to blend with the dry ingredients. Keep pouring and stirring until mixture is too thick to stir, then get in there and mix all the dry ingredients in with your hands.

Turn mixture out of the bowl and knead for 1-2 minutes. Do not overknead or you'll make your seitan firmer than we want for this recipe.

As you knead, stretch and pull dough into a rectangular or square shape about ½ thick.

Cut dough into 3" strips, and drop them into your lightly simmering broth. You do not want a full boil, just a light bubbling of the stock. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Preheat your air fryer to 350 according to manufacturers directions. Lightly spray interior with non-stick spray to prevent seitan from sticking.

Remove seitan pieces from stock and brush half with jerk seasoning. This is not meat, so there is no need for it to "marinate" in the jerk seasoning. Spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

Add the seasoned seitan to your air fryer without over crowding, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Turn and cook another 8-10 minutes, or until seitan has developed dark brown edges and has crisped slightly.

Remove and repeat with remaining seitan.

Serve with Jamaican Peas & RIce.

3.5.3226

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If you make this recipe, be sure to come back and rate it, and post a picture of your creation. We love to see what you’re eating.

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